Asbestos-use Increases 25 percent in United States in 2011

Asbestos use in the United States over the past year has increased by 26 percent compared to 2009, according to the 2012 United States Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries.

Many Americans falsely believe that asbestos use is banned. That’s not true. The mining of asbestos has been banned since 2002. But companies still import a known carcinogen that causes mesothelioma, a deadly cancer that 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with ever year.   

In the past year, the United States has imported 1,100 tons of asbestos. In 2009, it imported 869 tons. According to the report, roofing products accounted for about 60 percent of asbestos products imported, the chloralkali industry used about 35 percent and the rest, about 5 percent, is unknown.

Linda Reinstein, co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, is calling for a ban on the importation of raw asbestos and asbestos-containing products, on the ADAO blog.

She wrote, “I have lost my husband Alan to Mesothelioma, a disease caused from asbestos exposure. Nothing can bring him or the hundreds of thousands of other victims back to life, but we can begin by aggressively preventing exposure thus eliminating deadly diseases.”

I couldn’t agree more.

As an asbestos attorney, I have seen the damage asbestos exposure causes to individuals and families first-hand. There is no excuse. Every year approximately 10,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases.

ADAO Spreads Asbestos Awareness Through Washington, D.C.

Legislators from sixteen states attended an informational Senate Briefing last week entitled “Asbestos: The Impact on Public Health, the Environment, and the Economy.” The session, organized by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, raised awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, the seriousness of mesothelioma and encouraged attendees to adopt policy to address this dangerous carcinogen.

The states in attendance were: Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.  If your state could not make it, ADAO has made the informational briefing materials digitally available here.  Please, feel free to pass them onto your state’s Senate & Representative offices.

In addition, ADAO Co-founder Linda Reinstein and the delegation of asbestos victims and speakers visited several Senate and House offices. Linda, on the ADAO blog, declared the visit a success, saying that “ADAO saw offices embrace bipartisan collaboration” regarding asbestos.

On behalf of everyone here at the Simmons Firm, I’d like to thank Linda, the medical experts, and asbestos victims who put so much time and effort into making the day such a huge success. The work ADAO and other mesothelioma non-profits accomplish for the asbestos community is vitally important on so many levels. We are grateful for they work they do to educate our political leaders, advocate for an asbestos ban, support the asbestos community, and most importantly, stand up for what is right.

Speak Out Against Asbestos Use in North America

Every year more than 10,000 Americans die every year from asbestos related diseases, like mesothelioma. As asbestos attorneys, we see the hardship this disease can cause on individuals and families first hand.

The worst part is that this is a preventable disease. Many people think prevention steps have already been taken through an asbestos ban, but that’s not true. Asbestos is still used in certain products in the United States. In Canada, it’s legal to mine and export this deadly mineral to developing countries like India.

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization has organized a petition against asbestos use in North America. Released today, the goal is to collect 10,000 signatures to send to President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Please give a few minutes of your time to sign and pass the petition on to your friends and family.